Following their live debut last August at Lockn’ Festival, Circles Around the Sun brought their tantalizing and unique take on the Grateful Dead out to Colorado the past two nights. Longtime Phil Lesh and Friends rotating member and Chris Robinson Brotherhood guitarist Neal Casal leads the psychedelic grooves, backed by CRB keyboardist Adam MacDougall, bassist Dan Horne, and drummer Mark Levy. As Deadheads found their way over from the scorching Dead and Company show at CU Boulder’s Folsom Field, Casal and his three bandmates navigated through their takes on timeless tunes at the Boulder Theater.
The group was originally crafted for the intermissions during the Grateful Dead’s 50th Anniversary Fare Thee Well show to accompany Justin Kreutzmann’s visuals. However, now, Circles Around the Sun has confidently rocked the stage over the past year across the country. Last night, Circles continued to do so during their one-off performance in Boulder, which was a fitting performance for a weekend celebrating the music of the Dead in the Rockies.
Circles Around the Sun drifted through favorites off of their 2016 release Interludes for the Dead, taking a fresh spin at the music that so many hold close to their heart. The show kicked off with a monstrous “Sharlotta’s Magnolias,” intertwining the tastiest licks from “Sugar Magnolia,” “Scarlet Begonias,” and hints of “They Love Each Other.” “Kasey’s Bones” followed, weaving in and out of a sweet-sounding “Shakedown” jam, accompanied by heavy slide-work laid down by the master, Neal Casal. Circles Around the Sun allowed the audience to let their imagination run as the band concocted new takes on timeless songs that will never fade away. This was crystal clear last night as the four psychedelic warriors commanded the ship for a Dead and Company late-night that left the Boulder Theater floored.
Luckily, if you weren’t able to catch Circles Around the Sun in Colorado the past two nights, you will still have an opportunity to see the mesmerizing quartet, as they are set to play the Gramercy Theater on Saturday, July 22nd, following Phish’s first Saturday night show of their thirteen-night Bakers Dozen run. It is truly a blessing that these cosmic interludes of the Dead have been brought to a proper stage, so make sure not to miss out on this sensational late night after Phish shocks our brains. Also, don’t forget to check out the other Live For Live Music’s official Baker’s Dozen late night shows has in the works this summer!
Setlist: Circles Around The Sun | Boulder Theatre | Boulder, CO | 6/9/2017